Seven Quick Takes

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1.  Hello again!  Yep, 2017 was a rough year.  I barely blogged at all!  Oh my.

2.  I had a baby!

3.  I had HG for most of last year.  (Hence the lack of blogging.)

4.  While I currently have a giant list of craft projects both to start and to finish, I have been focusing on just one right now: my Hooded Dragon Blanket.  (I'm living dangerously; I'm crocheting this rather large project using discontinued yarn!)

5.  I am a huge fan of babywearing, although this is the first time I've used a wrap.  I absolutely love the Moby wrap.  It's a game changer.

6.  Can you believe the Eagles finally won a Super Bowl?!

7.  Speaking of sports, who's watching the Olympics?

I'll be linking up with Kelly  

7 Quick Takes: Hello, again!

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1. Do you know how when mommies that blog say they have an announcement and 99% of the time it's a pregnancy announcement?  Well, I'm going to perpetuate that stereotype.  I'm pregnant!

2. This pregnancy has been, by far, my worst yet.  I've been incredibly nauseous and sick.  I'm finally getting some relief. I feel like I'm coming back to life again!  Even if I am still nauseous most days . . .  (Hopefully this will mean more regular blogging.)

3. I did manage to get some Disney in (just before our summer is blocked out).  Pandora is awesome, folks.  I couldn't even ride Flight of Passage (due to QT #1) and I'm still going to say it's fantastic.  (Blog post forthcoming!)

4. After four months of being too sick to do anything I have quite the back log of crafty projects that I simply need to do.

5.  Stack the States is a great app.  It's well worth the couple of bucks.  My three year old can now identify all fifty states and knows where they belong.  I'm impressed.  (Of course, we did have to have a talk about why the states don't have eyes on "normal" maps.)

6. While I've been too sick to actually do anything I have spent some time online.  I have some new favorite sewing pattern designers that I am itching to try out.  (Favorite in so far as I love what I see online -- I'll let you know what I think once I actually sew something using their patterns!)  One of these designers is Izzy & Ivy.  Isn't this jacket just adorable?  Of course, living in sunny Florida means that this gorgeous pattern isn't probably where I should spend my time or money . . .

7. I'm currently reading The Thief.  Catherine's current favorite book is Roller Coaster.  Dominic's current favorite is My Little Animal Book.

Linking up with Kelly!  Come check out more Quick Takes.

Check out this fun Beauty and the Beast giveaway! (Ends 6/20/17. US only.)

7 Quick Takes: Summer Update

Yikes, this poor blog has been neglected recently!  Here's a quick recap of what's been keeping me busy.

1. We bought a house! 

2. We packed up the apartment and moved into the house.  (That makes it sound so effortless.)

3. We celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary.

4. Catherine had a birthday.

5. The desktop crashed.  

6. The new house has a pool, and since it hasn't been under 90 in something like 28 days, we've spent quite a bit of time splashing around.  

7. Did I mention that we bought a house? 

That about sums up why this blog hasn't been updated in a while.  In short, life got busy.  

Linking up with Kelly.

7 Quick Takes

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1.  This picture isn't perfect.  It's not professional at all.  There's plenty of technical problems.  But I like it.

2.  I am officially on Instagram now.  I haven't decided exactly how I plan to use it.  I do know that I want it to be somewhat unique from my other forms of social media.  I've already followed and then unfollowed a bunch of people because their feeds are a duplicate of what I already see on Facebook. Obviously, some overlap is inevitable, but variety is good!  Are you on Instagram?  How do you use it?

3.  Catherine is studying the North and South Poles this week.  That means we've been talking a lot about penguins.  The poor girl was super disgusted to learn that they use their poop to make their nests.

4.  Oi.  This book.  It is Dominic's current favorite.  It wasn't so bad the first hundred or so times that I read it.  Sadly, at this point I can barely stand it.  Can you relate?  I was a good mom though, I renewed it.  So we get to suffer through it, excuse me, I mean enjoy it for another three weeks.

5.  On a somewhat related note . . . Vteck, could you please make your trains easier for little hands to put together?  Ours is taped together now.  Dominic loves it, but he's a bit obsessive about keeping it all together . . . and he's one, so that's tough.  (Hey look!  There's even a picture of this on my Instagram!)

6.  I've been sewing up a storm.  I had a somewhat surreal moment last night.  I was wearing a shirt I made.  My husband was wearing a hoodie I made.  My daughter was wearing a dress I made.  My son was wearing pants I made.

7.  I think I might need this on a shirt.  Just sayin'.

I'll be sharing this post at Kelly's!

7 Quick Takes

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I very much appreciate you using them now, later, and any time. 

It would be so amazing if you could do some Christmas shopping through my links.  

It helps me out so much, and doesn't cost you a thing!  Thank you!

1.  I know Thanksgiving is next week, but I was browsing through some vintage postcards on Pinterest and thought that this one was timely.  My five year old wants to know why we don't send Thanksgiving cards.  I told her it just isn't part of the Turkey Day Tradition, but after looking through all of the postcards I wonder if it's lost tradition.  Have you sent Thanksgiving cards?  Would you if it were "normal"?  Would you think it strange to receive one?

2. The kids have been having "Pretzel Time" this week.  It's actually pretty darn adorable.  They sit together in little chairs and a makeshift table.  The table is actually one of these.  It was totally one of those "Mommy-wanted-one-as-a-kid-and-never-got-one-so-you-can-have-it" yard sale purchases.  Totally worth the $1 we spent on it.  What did toys reach out to your unfulfilled inner child?  

3.  Coloring.  It's not just for kids.

4. Who is making Christmas gifts this year?  There's something about using the Advent season, a time of preparing, as a time of handcrafting gifts for loved ones.  There's also something about those who don't plan far enough ahead and are trying to calculate how many of these projects will actually be completed before The Big Day.

5. I've been doing a bit of sewing recently.  I'm totally loving having a serger!  I have a backlog of projects to photograph and share!  I've also jumped into the black hole of custom printed knits.  My first package is due to arrive today.  I'm excited and nervous.  Have you ever sewn with custom fabric?

6.  Dominic has just discovered that he loves storytime.  Goodnight Moon and Hippos Go Berserk are read about 7,962 times a day right now in my house.  His favorite pages just happen to be the ones with balloons.  What stories have your children made you read over and over and over and over and over?

7.  If you, or someone you know, likes yarn then you should enter the giveaway that I'm hosting!

I'm linking up with Kelly.

Seven Quick Takes: The Week in Review

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1.  As some of you may have seen on Wednesday, we went to a Pumpkin Patch!  'Tis the season, right?   This was more than just a pumpkin patch though.  In addition to the traditional hay ride there was a petting zoo and a train ride.

2.  It's no secret that I love a good thrift shop find.  We stopped a Goodwill outlet while the car was being serviced on Saturday.  (The AC in the car is officially caput -- kind of a shame since we're still hitting high eighties.  Oh well.)  The kids both have three new shirts each, I have a new shirt and pants, Peter found a nice overcoat and a Halloween prop, and Dominic now has a Cars sleeping bag.  Our grand total?  $6.36.

3.  Sunday was my birthday.  We enjoyed a lovely day at Disney.  I rode my favorite ride a non-excessive ten times.  Do you recognize it?

Photo source

4.  How many of you are still sewing Halloween costumes?  I am.

Photo Source

5.  Enter my yarn giveaway!

6.  I'm finally going to get a serger!  I'm pretty excited about this.  All my seamstresses, can you give me any tips?  Advice?

7.  Catherine is very unpredictable when it comes to what rides she will and won't do at Disney.  She'll ride Star Tours non-stop without blinking an eye, but Ursula on the Little Mermaid ride give her tremors (although not as much now).  I was shocked this week then when she exclaimed that she wanted to ride Tower of Terror.  And she did.  I think it might be a while before she rides it again . . . but I was so proud of her for following through and doing it.

Photo source

Linking up!

7 Quick Takes

1.  Let's start today's Quick Takes with some cuteness.  We just visited the North Carolina Arboretum, which was simply beautiful.  I'm going to share an entire blog post with you later, but I just couldn't wait to share this photo.

2.  I am loving my String Theory Yarn.  (Don't forget to enter the $60 giveaway!)  My shawl is coming along nicely.  I've started the decorative rows along the edge -- this is my first project with such details and I'm a little nervous I'm going to mess it up.  Oh well, I can always frog it . . . but I'd rather not!  

3.  This was picture week for Catherine's ballet class.  All of the little girls were simply adorable.  

4.  This no bake cheesecake bites recipe sound amazing.  I think I will be making them soon . . . maybe today?  Do you have any favorite no bake desserts?

5.  I've recently discovered Candy Crush.  Has anyone else been sucked into that black hole?

6.  If you're looking for an online shop to buy knit fabric give Girl Charlee a try!  If you use my link I might get a few bucks off my next order.  (Which would be totally awesome.)  While I'm promoting affiliates, Craftsy is having a big sale this week, you might want to check it out.  (While you're there check out this American Flag knitting pattern!)  Do you shop the holiday sales? 

7.  Have a great Memorial Day weekend, just don't forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Source

Linking up here.

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It doesn't cost you anything extra, and I receive a couple of pennies for every dollar that you spend.  

7 Quick Takes: Utter Randomness

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1.  What is a niggly wiggly?  It's a real thing.  Seriously.  (Quick Take #7 has the answer.)
2.  Yep.  This is me.  (Although, ironically, I don't actually own a hot glue gun.  Maybe I should get one.  You know, just in case.)

Source

3.  Well, I suppose this is true!

Source

4.  I came across this meme this week and just about spit out my water.

Source: Buzzfeed 

5.  This one is pretty awesome too.

Source

6.  Speaking of reading, this pillow from Jolie Marche on Etsy is fantastic.  As a kid I was routinely guilty of this.  Admittedly, since having kids (especially when one is actually in bed with us) it often ends up being TV instead of books . . . but not always.

7.  A niggly wiggly is the little strip of paper wrapped with a Hersey's kiss.  Now you know.

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This means that I will receive a few cents for every dollar you spend after clicking through one of my links.  It doesn't cost you anything extra, but does help me out.  

Thank you for your support!

{Linking up here.}

7 Quick Takes: Seven Craft Projects I Will Do

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While many of my craft projects involve yarn, knitting and crocheting are not the only ways I enjoy creating.  It's still January, so I am going to add making these seven projects to my New Year's resolutions.

1.  These earrings from All Day Chic look stunning and complicated, but the tutorial seems easy enough.

2.  A felt flower accent pillow.  I love this one by Allison:

3.  Make something using the peyote stitch used in beading.  I'd love to make a tubed necklace and some flowers.  Here's one beautiful example by Elina Ivanova that I'd love to emulate.  (Check out all of this talented artist's work. Amazing.)

4.  This Hi - Lo Top by Melly Sews would be a perfect addition to my wardrobe.

5.  I picked up some fabric on Black Friday that I'd like to make matching mother and daughter dresses.  I'm thinking the fabric will be the "matching" part, but they would be different styles.  This one for me and this one that I picked up ages ago for Catherine.  What do you think?

6.  I want to work with knit fabrics.  This pattern was under my Christmas tree.

7.  I also want to start and finish at least one scrapbook.

How about you?  Do you have any fun things on you New Year's resolutions list?  And speaking of resolutions, it's the end of January, how are you doing on yours?

Linking up here.

7 Quick Takes: A Little Perspective

1.  This morning hasn't been the best of mornings.  One child is being cranky and contrary.  The other is getting into everything.  (I mean, seriously, where did that stick come from?  Or that chalk?)  My morning exercising was cut short.  The computer keeps crashing.  Food ended up on the carpet.  There was yelling.  There was crying.  There was whining.  (Although I am proud to say none of it was by me.  At least, not yet.)  We are finally having a couple of moments of calm, one child nursed to sleep and another returned from time out wanting to look at books.  I decided to pop online for a bit.  That's when I saw . . .

2.  This story about women and their (lack of) bathrooms.

3.  Fellow alumni from my alma matter just lost their precious baby.

4.  Another alum just found out his pregnant wife has a brain tumor.

5.  A woman in one of my online mommy groups got a call that her husband was found unresponsive at work.

6.  Last, but certainly not least, all of the war and political unrest happening now.

7.  All of the sudden my morning is looking a lot better.

Update: Life is good.  Even if one child is back in timeout and the other is now cranky from being woken up from a lovely nap.  I think Mommy might get pie for lunch today.

 Linking up here.

Quick Takes: October Celebrations

So, I meant to do this last week, but life intervened and it simply didn't happen.  This week's Quick Takes are going to be a little bit different.  I'm going to tell you all about some fun stuff that's happening around here this month!

1.  October is a special month for me, it's my birth month!  I've always loved October.  The weather can be warm or cold (I've seen both blizzards and Indian Summers on my special day).  And all of the beautiful fall colors!  It's just lovely.  (And there are pine cones everywhere!)

2.  I love crafting.  I think that's probably pretty obvious to everyone.  Yarn, beads, fabric, and all of the trimmings bring me much happiness.  

3.  I will be hosting some awesome "crafty" giveaways throughout the month here at The Philosopher's Wife.  You will have the chance to win some fun craft supplies that I hope will bring you some happiness.  

4.  I will also be linking to some of my favorite giveaways being hosted by other bloggers over at The Philosopher's Wife: Giveaways Galore, so be sure to check those out too!  (I'm hoping to link to one craft supply type giveaway a day for the rest of the month, so if crafting is your thing you really should check it out.)

5.  The giveaway goodness has already started!  This giveaway for a set of Clover Amour Crochet Hooks will end October 15, 2014 -- go enter! 

6.  Some of my sponsors for this month include Zipper Island, Happy Mango Beads, Create for Less, and Red Heart!  

7.  If you're a blogger and have a crafty type giveaway you'd like me to feature just drop me a line!  If you'd like to sponsor a giveaway to be hosting on my blog, again just drop me a line.  I'd love to work with you!    

Quick Takes are hosted by Jen.